Alpha and Omega
by Janna Galaxy
Summary: After unwittingly realsing an ascend being trapped on Atlantis for thousands of years; the team find a dark secret The Ancients wished to be hiden forever. Meanwhile a powerful force is at the gate and the team must make a sacrifice. CHAPTER ONE IS FIXED
1. The Dream

Chapter one --- The Dream Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard has only one wish he wanted to be fulfilled at this moment in time; which is to sleep.

"I've had no sleep for almost 26 hours!" John angrily muttered through his teeth as he strode through the great city of Atlantis.

The Colonel glided his hand over the door control and the door slid open. John very wearily stumbled into his quarters.

He didn't think about undressing or removing his boots, just flopped down on to his bed.

Mud, grass, water and sand flew up off Shepard's body and clothes and hit the floor; a response to the impact Sheppard's body made on hitting his bed.

A small smile crept on John's face has his head sunk further and further into his pillow.

Peace and quiet, peace and quiet.

John relaxed even further.

Peace and quiet.

Peace and quiet.

The door began to ring.

John groaned and turned over ignoring the ring.

The door rang again.

John grabbed the pillow and put it over his head, still ignoring the ring.

The ring turned into a knock.

Dr. Rodney McKay was knocking on the door. "John?"

The door slid open.

"John?" Rodney repeated. "I'm sorry."

John didn't reply, he just laid asleep on his bed.

"I didn't know they wanted you to do all those tasks just so we could look at their ZPM."

John still didn't move.

"Oh come on John stop acting like a child."

That was the final insult to a crappy day, John thought.

John turned over on his bed and opened his eyes and give Rodney a deadly glare.

Rodney began to worry. "I...urm...didn't mean...you..were..."

"It wasn't just the fact I had to basically beg and grovel for the longest day in my life, that I could handle. But you..." John sat up and rose from his bed. "Had to impress that pretty young blonde.."

"Dalia." Rodney smiled at the memory of her long beautiful blonde curly locks,bright blue eyes, complemented with long lushish lashes. Full red lips and her body was so hot...."

John swiped at Rodney's arm.

"Ow!" Rodney yelped bringing him back to reality.

"Yeah, Dalia." John muttered. "You had to show off to Dalia. Show her how intelligent, smart and *wonderfully strong* you are."

Rodney cringed at the memory. "You graciously offered to open a door for her."

"I didn't know it was locked." Rodney protested most strongly.

"I'm surprised you could get near the door as you were drowning in your own drool." John sneered.

Rodney folded his arms. "You're just jealous."

John smiled at him. "At least her parents haven't sworn revenge on me."

Rodney crumbled up his face. His arms fell by his side. "It was an accident."

"Because you pulled on that door so hard you pulled the handle off and fell backwards on top of Dalia..."

"Well at least I got something out of the day." Rodney whispered.

"What?" John asked.

"Nothing."

"Well, who walks in at that moment, Dalia's parents. The leaders of the village. A village of pure people with high morales and rituals. Find their beautiful, young and pure daughter on the floor with a strange alien guy on top of her."

Rodney give John a sheepish look. "So Ronan told you everything."

John nodded with a smile. The smile suddenly faded. "I did all those back braking tasks all day and within minutes of me completing them, you mess things up!"

John sighed and sat on the edge of his bed. "Just get outta here, Rodney. I'll see you in the morning"

Rodney nodded. "Yeah sure thing." He went to say something else but thought better of it. '_I'd better just leave him until the dust settles.'_ Rodney thought to himself.

As Rodney left, John laid back down on his bed and closed his eyes.

Peace and quiet, peace and quiet, peace and....

"Hello." A sweet soothing voice said.

John sigh and opened his eyes and glanced towards the voice.

The Colonel's jaw dropped open. A beautiful young woman stood before him, long flowing dark brown hair, bright blue eyes like sapphires, full red lips and a long swan like neck. A silk and lace long white dress covering a slender firm body with curvy hips.

"Who are you?" John managed speak.

"I have not the time to explain but I need your help." The woman glided over to John's bed and sat on the edge.

"It takes a lot of my energy to communicate with you. I have been trapped in this city for longer than I can remember. Please help me to escape."

John reached for his ear piece. "This is Colonel Sheppard..." There was no reply, just static.

The young lady looked sad as she pleaded. "Please John, help me."

"I must be dreaming." John muttered.

"You're not dreaming." The young woman soothed. "Please go to the room in the north east of the city. It's a room that was recently explored. The team released me from the room but I can't escape the city."

The young woman brought her face up close to The Colonel's face. "Please John." John felt a strange sense of peace, serenity and sensuality.

The young woman drew close as to kiss The Colonel, but stop millimeters from his lips.

"If only I could..." The young woman sighed as she faded away.

John Sheppard's eyes opened. "_It was just a dream," _The Colonel thought. The idea made him happy in the way that he wasn't losing his mind and sad that the beautiful young woman was only a figment of his over active imagination.

END OF CHAPTER ONE


	2. Guilty Power

Chapter 2

The bright beautiful Lantean sun shone through the window.

John's pier-view room provided the excellent, beautiful and relaxing sound of the ocean gently crashing against the walls of the city limit.

John began to stir and began to wake up. John smiled at the wonderful dream he had the night before. The vision of the beautiful young woman and the mental stimulation of sensuality.

John got up out of his bed and got himself dressed. The memories of the night before began to replay in his mind. The beautiful young woman's plea for help repeated itself like a needle on a scratched vinyl.

John left his room and strode down the corridor toward the mess hall. Grabbing himself a cup of coffee, a small box of cereal with milk and juicy green apple he sat at a table far from everyone else.

After eating his breakfast, John sat drinking his coffee still replaying the words in his head.

"Please help me, John."

"_Wait a minute," thought John. "Someone just ask me for help out aloud."_

John turned to face the voice only to find Teyla Emmagan smiling at him.

"Would you please help me with this. I do not understand how to solve this puzzle." Teyla sat opposite John holding a small cube.

"What puzzle?" John asked.

Teyla held out her hand and give John the cube. "Dr. Novak has just returned from Earth with it. I asked her about pastimes on Earth. She told me it is a puzzle from a time called the eighties. I have tried to solve this puzzle but it has got me confused."

John held the cube and smiled. "It's called a Rubix Cube. You have to get all the different colors in their groups."

"I know this," Teyla nodded. "But it is impossible. It cannot be done."

"It can be. I used to have one. It takes time but this is one puzzle that can be done." John swallowed the last drop of his coffee. "But at the moment, I can't help as I've got something I need to do." John got up and smiled at Teyla.

John could see the slight sadness in her beautiful olive skin. Guilt began to wash over him. Guilt was an emotion which John hated with the passion. It was something that was always with him. He felt guilty for his comrades who died in Afghanistan, while he was still alive having adventures in the Pegasus Galaxy. The Colonel felt guilty about all the people who have died under his command. More recently he felt guilt for not saving Lieutenant Ford.

Elizabeth told him it wasn't his fault and he had nothing to feel guilty about. He wanted to believe her but could bring himself to do it.

"_You don't know that Ford is dead." John told himself and agreed with that thought. "Yes, he's a tough kid. He would of made it off that Hive ship before it blew up." _

_But another side of John, a side which was as dark as space, joined the conversation. "No, that's what you want to believe because you don't want to feel guilty. You despise guilt and would do anything you can to stop it." John mentally shuddered. The voice continued to disturb Colonel Shepherd "You know that nobody could of made it off that Hive. So deal with it!"_

John realized Teyla was watching him and smiled at her. "I've got something to deal with but as soon as I'm done, I'll show how to go about solving this puzzle."

"Very well." Teyla smiled. "I would be most grateful."

Teyla rose from her seat. "Well I hope you deal with your own puzzle first before you help me with mine."

John's eyes closed slightly as if what she said made no sense. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about but hey I'm sorry I couldn't help you at the moment. Sorry."

John give Teyla a "sorry but I'll see you later" smile.

Teyla smiled back at John as he walked away. "I understand." Teyla called after him.

Her smiled faded a few moments later. She could tell that there was something bothering John. But The Athoisan hesitated to press the issue for the moment and hoped he would sort it out or failing that, she hoped that The Colonel would ask for her help and the help of his team.

Teyla sighed, smiled and looked back at her puzzle.

* * *

"Radek, have you got a map of the areas that have been explored over the last month?"

Dr. Radek Zelenka looked up from his laptop.

"Colonel, is this not something you would normally ask from Rodney?"

"Yeah," John nodded. "But Rodney is avoiding me. He's too nervous to face me."

"Ah," Zelenka smiled. "Understandable, I heard from Ronon about what happened on your mission yesterday. I would be trying to avoid you also."

John sighed. "Yeah I was a bit short with Rodney yesterday. But I've had my full quota of sleep and today is a new day."

Zelenka smiled. "I am sure Rodney will be pleased to hear that."

Zelenka began to type on his laptop and it began to beep. "These are the areas that have been explored within the last month."

Sheppard studied the map. "What is this?" John pointed to a small room in the left quadrant of the map.

"We are not sure." Radek replied. "Our best guess it is some kind of laboratory. It was basically empty except for an crystal-type object."

"A crystal?" John enquired. "Where is this crystal?"

Radek punched a couple of keys. "The crystal was giving off an increidable amount of energy, so I was told. It is all in this report."

"How much energy are we talking about? Enough for a gate ride to Earth or enough to fly the city?"

Dr. Zelenka gulped. He began to speak in his native Czech tongue.

When he remembered Colonel Shepherd was still near him he began to speak in English again. "No, no no no....this cannot be right."

"What?"

Zelenka took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "If I am reading this correctly. The crystal is capable to maintain the city indefinitely."


End file.
